Could you be our news media volunteer for Samhuinn 2015?

We’re looking for a volunteer to help us get news media talking about our next fire festival, Samhuinn 2015. If you know what makes journalists tick and press photographers smile, we need you!

The Beltane Fire Society is a community of volunteers who stage huge fire festivals in central Edinburgh on the last days of April and October each year. We use them to mark the turning seasons and keep ancient Celtic traditions alive. They’re incredible visual spectacles with audiences of thousands, and we get lots of media attention.

Each year we’re approached by journalists who want to film, write about or photograph our events. We know the best way to make the most of the attention we get (and to tell the stories we want to share) is to have a volunteer or two dedicated to working with them. It’s a huge help for us, and could be a great opportunity for you to work with international, UK, Scottish and local media – in past festivals our volunteers have worked with media including The Times, the BBC, STV and The Scotsman to get the word out.

So, we’re looking for a news media volunteer to lead on all interactions with the press ahead of Samhuinn and on the night itself – 31st October 2015. We can offer you support from past news media volunteers and the chance to be part of one of Edinburgh’s most unusual and exciting events – in return we’re keen to find:

Someone who really gets how media works (so ideally someone with relevant experience – whether as a journalist or in PR).

Someone willing and able to commit to volunteering for us to lead on responding to media enquiries, writing press releases, conducting interviews and supporting other Society members to do the same, as well as coordinating press access for the night itself and tracking media coverage of the event.

Someone with around 4 hours a week of time to spare across September, and around 6-10 hours a week in October (mostly outside office hours, so shouldn’t clash with work or study). Must be free to attend rehearsals and steward meetings on Sunday afternoons in late September and October, and on the afternoon and evening of 31st October for the event itself. Attending the Samhuinn Open meeting on 30th August (2pm, St Margaret’s House) would also be beneficial.

Someone based in Edinburgh or within easy travelling distance, and easy access to phone and internet.

Someone who is flexible, can interact well with a diverse collection of volunteers and adapt to our culture and ways of working.

If this sounds like you, send your details to us at press[at]beltane[dot]org by Friday 21st August 2015 and let us know how you might fit the bill.